Podcaster asks Michelle Obama if women should wear a dress to pacify misogynists — her response is pure class

Despite being in the 21st century, women are still facing discrimination, being objectified, and judged in all walks of life. The reality of misogynistic superiors is not new, and women know well that when it comes to people like them, skills, talent, and effort don’t stand a chance. Host of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Alexandra Cooper, talked with Michelle Obama and asked her how women should deal with such bosses. In the video shared on her Instagram page, she painted a picture asking if a woman should wear a dress at a job interview with a misogynistic boss. Obama's response is spectacular. 

Cooper shared a scenario wherein a female candidate has to go for an interview. Knowing her boss is misogynistic, she subconsciously chooses to wear a dress over pants because she knows her resume won’t hold power compared to her appearance in the eyes of the patriarchal man. Asking Michelle what she thought of the situation, Cooper also questioned whether it's something women should give in to. “Are we abandoning ourselves? What do we do?” the host asked. Michelle began by saying life is full of compromises, and we are at a position where we have to pick and choose our battles. 

Getting specific about the question, she noted, “If you’re a young woman who needs the job to pay off loans or if it’s your first job, first make sure you can pay your rent and don’t make rash decisions rashly.” She further explained that if a woman is at a stage where she doesn’t have much leverage, she should prioritize her safety. “You don’t want to compromise yourself so much that you lose your safety,” she added. “You may wear the dress if it’s professional and it gives you an edge. But you want to be very careful of who this person is that you’re working for,” she cautioned. 

The former first lady continued to share that when it comes to dealing with misogynistic men, it’s not so much what a woman is wearing but more who the other person is. Women, compared to men, always have to be thoughtful; their situations are such that they have to be more alert about how they deal with them. To summarize her response, safety has to be prioritized, and every decision needs to be made smartly, not impulsively. Cooper also noted in her caption, “Men pick a suit, women pick a strategy.” In a conversation with TIME Magazine, Michelle revealed that she has had her share of dealing with misogynistic men in the past.

“[I’ve dealt with] teachers who didn’t think I was smart enough and would call on the boys instead of the girls, even though the girls had better grades,” she revealed. She also shared how her brother was asked about his career, but she was asked about the man she’d marry. This stereotype followed her through all ages and due to this recurring depreciation, she was pushed to believe “my body looked was more important than how my mind worked.” However, after years of questioning and reflecting, she learned to stand up for herself. “I just got tired of always worrying about what everyone else thought of me. So I decided not to listen to the voices of those who doubted or dismissed me,” the former first lady said. 

Now, she focuses on her own voice; it matters most. According to a study from the Nature Journal, misogyny has been deeply rooted since 1995, but it was only battled around 2014. And we’re still battling it today. Data from Ipsos had concerning statistics about how men perceive women. While only two in ten denied the existence of gender inequality, the latter has only increased since the pandemic. One third of men (32%) reported that feminism does more harm than good.

Around 45% of the respondents have experienced online abuse or sexist content in the past two years. The top two in the categories were portrayals of men as superior to women or displaying women as the reason for problems for men. With so many disputes happening where women are targeted from all ends, it's important to have a voice that’s not influenced by situations or pressure. @fitbycoachkel wrote, “I just listened, and I feel so emotional and empowered.” @iambeckybursell added, “Beauty is a huge aspect of the feminine power too. You just have to make sure you have boundaries around that power.” 

You can follow Alexandra Cooper (@callherdaddy) on Instagram for more content on feminism and empowerment. 

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